


Don't Look Back in Anger

by Heroine_Lestrange



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Evil, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Dark, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:13:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22761511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heroine_Lestrange/pseuds/Heroine_Lestrange
Summary: Spencer starts visiting Mona in hospital and gets more than she bargained for. Serial killer AU.
Relationships: Spencer Hastings/Mona Vanderwaal
Comments: 21
Kudos: 18





	1. The beginning

When Mona first got locked up at the hospital, no one wanted to visit her and their reasons in not doing so were all perfectly valid. Out of the four friends, the one that everyone had expected to break the pattern was Hanna. She was the sweetest, happiest and most forgiving of the four, and for quite some time she was Mona’s best friend. The girls had risen in popularity together and Hanna couldn't justify letting go of that relationship, not without some level of closure.

Mona sat quietly on her bed, watching but not seeing the empty chair opposite her when her first visitor arrived. Spencer Hastings perched herself on the edge of the the chair opposite Mona, her haughty posture remaining as she glared right through the smaller girl.

"You don't deserve to be sitting there. Some people might believe that you're insane but I know the truth. Inside you’re laughing at us. You think you’ve won but this is by no means over," Spencer said in a cool voice that allowed for no emotion to slip through.

Mona didn't move an inch and showed no sign of recognition, her face an empty mask framed by dark hair. Spencer stood and left, annoyed with the lack of response.

* * *

Spencer did not understand why she kept returning to Mona after the initial visit, but week after week she felt drawn to the other girls side. In the beginning she vented her emotions using Mona as a target, as time went by she used the blank girl as a sounding board for all the issues she could and would not discuss with those close to her.

In the third week of visits, she walked into the room only to find Mona lucid and playing cards with fellow patients. Her stomach dropped as the girl ignored her cards and noticed the Spencer at the rooms entrance.

"Spencer!" Mona happily exclaimed, grinning not so sweetly as she did so.

"What happened to you?" Spencer asked, rooted to the spot.

She was shocked to see Mona acting so normal and and able to partake in basic activities after appearing to be in a trance like state for so long.

"Turned out I was on the wrong medication all this time. Fortunately they changed it and now I'm almost as good as new," Mona replied cheerfully before continuing. "Thanks for the visits, I may not have been able to communicate but I heard everything you had to say. It was rather… enlightening."

After the initial visit Spencer had assumed that Mona was catatonic and used that to vent all of her feelings regarding Aria, Hanna and Emily not to mention Melissa. If she had known Mona was aware of her surroundings she would never have lowered her walls and revealed her innermost emotions.

After Mona stopped talking Spencer promptly turned around and exited the building without a second look at the slyly grinning Mona.

* * *

Spencer had been trying to recreate A's lair while her friends had been running around digging their own graves, causing Spencer's already hefty workload to increase threefold. Out of her three friends, Emily was currently there biggest liability. Her drinking and attitude were really starting to wear thin on Spencer’s already frayed nerves. After yet another crazy day trying to fix the new disaster courtesy of A, she found herself back at the hospital and more importantly Mona.

"You know, you were the first to visit me. My family is too ashamed to care and Hanna only visits because she feels entitled to know why it all happened. At first you came to blame me but now I don't know what you want," Mona said breaking the long silence that had engulfed them, her words soft but thoughtful.

"Why did you want me to be part of the A team, why make that offer solely to me?" Spencer asked, she didn't know where the question had come from but was curious for the response all the same.

"Well, that's easy. Emily's the athlete, Aria's the artist, Hanna's the perfect friend and you’re the brains behind it all. Could you honestly say that your friends would have been able to combat A so effectively if at all if it wasn't for you. Don't be so naive, they need you," Mona said through gritted teeth as if it pained her to admit so.

"If I'm so intelligent then why is A still after us?" Spencer asked, annoyed by how well Mona seemed to grasp the dynamic between herself and her friends.

"Well Spencer, you may be intelligent but clearly you've forgotten who your main academic rival was in Junior High. I was a top student prior to dumbing down in order to fit at the top of the social ladder all that bit easier. It was simpler for Hanna; she was never that smart to begin with. Just last week she forgave me, for everything," Mona said chuckling at the ease of manipulating Hanna.

"Wasn't that the whole point of this, to get Hanna back as your best friend?" Spencer asked, disgust painting her features as she glared at the laughing girl.

"Of course not, this is about how your little group treated people like me. You thought you could step on us and we would just stay down? Well you thought wrong. Out of the five of you, you have always been the exception. You have the potential to be better than them, they're holding you back. With me you could do so much more, be so much more. I know you hated Ali as much as I did," Mona explained, her face had turned serious and the grin was long gone.

Spencer left shortly thereafter, she did not know how to reply to Mona. Her words were to near to a truth that Spencer has been long denying. Aria, Emily and Hanna didn't stand a chance without her, her potential was too great to be stuck with their baggage for life and she did hate Ali. Whether she liked it or not she seemed to have more in common with Mona than she had initially thought.

* * *


	2. The doubt

Toby was simple. He loved her, defended her and would fight for her but lately all Spencer could think was how she needed more than his hollow safe embrace. She wanted, craved even excitement and danger. And the only person who could evoke that emotion in her was Mona. She was an utter bitch but she was also honest in her hatred for Ali. Mona achieved a web of lies and deceit that was both impressive and meticulous while all Spencer was able to achieve was getting blackmailed numerous times over.

Spencer wanted to go back and understand what Mona’s intentions were but returning would be conceding defeat to her and Spencer Hastings was no quitter.

Her resolve however cracked the following day during her lunch with Emily, Aria and Hanna. They had once again returned to speculating as to the possibility of Jenna or Lucas being behind the recent influx of A threats.

Spencer didn't bother pointing out the obvious, that Jenna was blind and clearly not capable of being the evil mastermind behind all of A's recent plans. Lucas was just too much of a follower to take charge of something that could have any repercussions.

Since her last talk with Mona she had begun noticing small flaws in her friends that were grinding at her resolve. Hanna was shallow; she ignored anything that didn't directly impact her. Aria was completely oblivious to the real world; she lived in a shiny fantasy all of her own creation. And finally Emily, sweet Emily who was just such a glutton for punishment. Emily always gravitated towards the worst of people, Paige and Ali both being prime examples of her poor taste.

"Spencer, are you even listening to me?" Hanna snapped Spencer from her musings.

"Of course I am Han," Spencer glanced up from the salad she had been moving around her plate, her appetite long gone.

"God, you're being so weird today," Hanna huffed before continuing her story about Caleb. Spencer once again left to her own thoughts.

* * *

"I wish I could say that I knew you’d be back, but you've always been so unpredictable," Mona said when Spencer entered the rec room.

"Most people would say that I'm predictable, too predictable even," Spencer retorted as she took the seat opposite Mona.

"Well most people don't know you very well do they? Can you honestly say that your friends know that you're here right now?" Mona asked smugly. When her only answer was silence she continued.

"Yeah I didn't think so."

Now that Spencer was with Mona she had little idea on how to proceed or whether she even wanted to further there conversation at all. Neither one owed the other anything. The answer to why she was there was digging at the back of her mind, attempting to free itself in clarity. The reason that became all so clear was that Mona was the closest thing she had to an equal, a realization that was as comforting as it was horrifying.

"So I heard that you and Cece have become acquainted," Mona said with the casual wave of her hand.

"And where would you have heard something like that?" Spencer asked, eyeing Mona suspiciously.

She should know better than to ask Mona that. There were always ways of getting information and Mona would use team A’s resources to her full advantage.

"Around," Mona dismissed the question before continuing. "If I were you I would befriend Cece, she's a real team player."

"Is that your not so subtle way of telling me that she's one of you pawns?" Spencer asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, but trust me. Getting to know Cece a bit better wouldn't be as fruitless as you might think," Mona added.

"God, do you always have to be so damn cryptic. It's extremely off putting," Spencer sighed in annoyance.

"You're smart enough to work it out," Mona’s voice rung out as Spencer left.

Since that visit Spencer figured that there would be little harm in getting on friendlier terms with Cece. If only as a test to see if Cece was affiliated with A, that's the story that Spencer relayed to her friends at least. The truth however was that she was beginning to trust Mona to a certain extent and getting to know Cece would be a good way to test that tenuous trust. Spencer had no real plan, which might have been first for her.

* * *

The visits were becoming more frequent, so much so that she had to find new lies to tell Toby and her friends as the original excuses were starting to wear thin. Most days they spoke about nothing of importance, they left A on the outskirts of their conversation. Today however was not such a day.

"Toby is not right for you," Mona randomly interjected in the middle of what had been a normal conversation concerning the last time Spencer had visited and had to duck out in order to to avoid Hanna.

"Wait, what?" Spencer exclaimed, clearly thrown by the random statement.

"You heard me. He's weak, a follower, a loyal little puppy dog. You cannot be satisfied with that," Mona’s face serious as she twirled her hair in a playful manner, the gesture not matching her severe expression.

"That's not true! You don't know him," Spencer defended, though deep in her gut she knew that Mona was right.

"Don't I though?," Mona said with an ugly grin before being escorted from the room to get her medication for the night. Leaving a frozen Spencer in her wake, contemplating what Mona had just implied so subtly that most would not have understood. She was however not most. And if Mona was telling the truth the Toby was definitely in the A team.

* * *


	3. The box

Spencer had to know for sure if Mona was telling the truth in regard to Toby. So that night she went over to his place, nothing suspect about a surprise visit from his girlfriend. They decided to watch a movie; Spencer would pick the film while Toby made popcorn.

When he left the room she made quick work of searching for his phone, it was found inside his dresser. She immediately checked the call log only to see that he had received numerous messages from both Mona and A. The only consistent thing about the messages were that they seemed to implicate him in a whole lot of A's dirty work, some which had been pinned on Mona.

But she was a Hastings and a Hasting did nothing in half measure or without a fully formed plan. Spencer returned the phone to its spot within the dresser and spent the rest of the night acting exactly like the perfect girlfriend Toby thought her to be.

* * *

Mona was right, not just about Toby but Cece as well. She was useful in quite a few ways. Telling them about Paige and her history with Alison was the type of information that Spencer had been waiting for. Maybe, just maybe Spencer thought, she would start her own little group if she could get Cece to agree to join.

Paige wasn't as subtle as she thought she was and her pining for Emily was clear as day. Her temper was legendary, given a motive she would no doubt be a prime suspect in any case. Spencer began to plant those little seeds of doubt into her friends' minds. It was harder than expected however to convince Emily of Paige’s untrustworthy nature, the girl was still hung up on Paige being her knight in shining armor in the hell that their lives had become. Spencer knew that if she was to proceed with her plan she would need an experts insight.

"I heard you've been busy," Mona said forgoing a greeting.

"What can I say; I'm very dedicated when motivated. And I'm definitely motivated," Spencer responded with a small smile.

"So motivated that you've neglected to visit me, listening to Hanna whine is not as entertaining as it once was," Mona pouted in an exaggerated fashion.

"I'm here to make a deal with Big A. You said I was wanted for the group from the start. I'll do it but I have one condition," Spencer took the seat next to Mona.

"Which would be?" Mona leaned forward into the taller girls personal space in a a teasing manner.

"I get to do whatever I please with Toby."

"Deal, let I'll let Cece know you’ve joined the group. She'll be happy, she's already quite fond of you," Mona smugly accepted.

"Am I supposed to be shocked that Cece is working with A? It’s not as if you’ve been very subtle," Spencer deadpanned.

"Yes, but now you know for sure."

"So, are there any other benefits working for A?" Spencer asked curiously.

"Just wait till I get out of here, I'll show you some of the benefits," Mona said with a seductive wink, Spencer couldn't help the grin it elicited.

Spencer left the Hospital shortly thereafter and went to the boutique Cece worked at. Emily and a an unfamiliar boy were already inside when she arrived. Spencer easily fell into her role as the loyal and dutiful friend. Once again Emily was discussing how much Paige had changed, no one but but Emily seemed to cared but they all pretended to listen and be supportive anyway . Spencer just wanted to voice what everyone was already thinking, Emily had terrible choice in partners, guy or girl it was always a disaster.

"Yeah Em I totally agree," Spencer said when Emily gave her an expectant look.

That seemed to be the right answer as Emily gave her a bright smile and a quick hug before scampering off with her new friend.

"Hey Spence, I heard the news. Gotta say I was actually bit shocked," Cece said in tone that was similar to the reaction someone gave when commenting on a friend's new haircut.

"Yeah well its time for a change," Spencer grinned in answer.

"One hell of a change though," Cece said thoughtfully. "We'll chat after I finish my shift."

"Sure."

_"Good to finally have you on the team. Remember Toby is yours but you are mine. Have fun with the revenge… and Mona- A_

Spencer frowned at her phone; you couldn't deny that A was entertaining and there was no way that Spencer would waste an opportunity at revenge against Toby. Though she pondered the part of the text regarding Mona, until the following day when A’s meaning became clear.

Somehow Mona had been cleared of all the charges against her and been released into her parents custody as part of her rehabilitation. Mona would be back in school within the week.

Spencer pretended to be shocked when she heard the news from Hanna but inside she was ecstatic.

That afternoon when she arrived home she found a carefully wrapped box. Inside the package was a small silver revolver and a black hoodie. At the bottom lay a note that read _"_ _Just a small gift to go with the bigger one that arrived today- A_ _"_

Spencer had to admit A was really starting to grow on her. Spencer put the box away in her wardrobe before making her way downstairs. She had work to do.

* * *


	4. The boss

When Mona walked into school on Monday everyone in the surrounding area watched her move with a morbid curiosity, as if waiting for her to snap. Aria, Hanna and Emily who were mid conversation when they spotted her, froze in shock at the smaller girls appearance. Spencer who was seated with them however was silently ecstatic to see Mona out of the usual sterile hospital setting.

"God, can you believe they let her out?" Hanna asked her friends, a disgusted look gracing her face.

"I know.She should have been locked up for life not just a couple of months," Emily nodded in agreement.

Spencer was barely listening to her friends angry rantings, her focus completely consumed by the newly freed girl who was smirking at her. Aria also remained unusually quiet throughout lunch as she studied Spencer with a raised eyebrow.

Hanna and Emily left shortly afterwards for class leaving Aria and Spencer alone at their usual outdoor table. An awkward silence lingering between the two brunettes.

"Sooo…," Aria started, and Spencer could already tell that the oncoming conversation was going to be a disaster.

"Yes?" Spencer replied with a sigh, crossing her arms as she looked over at Aria expectantly.

"Mona's looking pretty good, right?" Aria smirked suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows as she spoke.

"Excuse me?" Spencer managed to choke out words, fending of a coughing fit as she did so.

"I saw the way you looked at her, also I practically gave her to you so you should really make a move before someone else does," Aria said in a playful tone, her eyes however glinted dangerously.

"There is no way you could just see that on my face, and what do you mean by you gave her to me?" Spencer asked, her brain was working in overdrive as she tried to make sense of what was happening.

"You're not as subtle as you’d like to think you are, and I thought you would have worked it out by now. Who was the least effected by A's scheme? Who has never actually seen A or been confronted by A? All pretty valid questions that everybody seems to overlook the answers to because if the answer is sweet and sensitive Aria then it can't be right, can it?" Aria explained, her features seemed different to Spencer. Aria looked harder, more serious, even smarter somehow.

"So that's why Mona called you big A, because that's exactly who you are," Spencer said, disbelief colouring her face as she gaped at the smaller girl.

"Wow, you really are fast on the uptake," Aria said with a small but manic grin.

"I don't get it……, you have no motive," Spencer said, attempting to wrap her head around all the new information presented to her.

“I guess you could just say I'm crazy or that I have a real warped sense of fun. Either way I really just don't like secrets, well unless they're mine of course," Aria said, not answering the question."I’ve got to run, you know class and all. Seriously though, you have to make a move on Mona soon or someone might beat you to the punch,"

Aria quickly reverted back to her old almost giving Spencer whiplash in the process. Spencer sat there well after Aria had left, Aria who was A. A, who she was currently working for. She could believe what Aria said about being crazy, the girls personality seemed to shift every second, not to mention she had just admitted to being A in a courtyard full of their fellow students without any worry or discretion.

Spencer slowly got up from the table, sure Aria being A was a shock but she had more important things to take care at the moment. Like finding Mona.

* * *

She had searched for Mona throughout most of the school and despite there being classes she just knew that Mona wouldn't be in any of them. Just as she was about to give up she saw the girl enter the bathroom, Spencer quickly followed.

Mona was standing in front of the mirror, when she saw Spencer in the reflection she broke into a happy grin.

"I was hoping that I would get to see you today," Mona said in a playful fashion, similar to that of Aria.

"Well here I am," Spencer replied from a small distance behind Mona.

Mona grinned before turning to throw her arms around the taller girl's neck, bringing her in closer and closing the distance between the two of them.

"I didn't think you'd want to go through with this, not now that I'm out," Mona whispered softly, avoiding the other girls eyes.

"I wasn't sure but I received some much needed encouragement from Aria," Spencer said, matching Mona's quiet tone with her own.

"Well big A does know all doesn't she?" Mona smiled lightly at Spencer.

"Yeah, I guess she does," Spencer answered before closing the gap between them, kissing the smaller girl lightly. The kiss soon developed into something more passionate. The girls were so lost in each other they failed to notice the presence of a grinning Aria standing by the door.

* * *

Once Spencer had finally managed to clear her head from the events of the day, which had her grinning from ear to ear, she finally remembered the task at hand.

Carefully she removed the gun and hoodie from the box in her wardrobe. She checked that the gun was fully loaded before storing it in her hoodie pocket. Humming a tune under her breath she cautiously snuck out of the house after checking that everyone was asleep.

She walked down the lit streets, careful to avoid passing anyone she knew, keeping her hood up as a precaution.

She came to a standstill once she reached her intended destination, a large dark house. She went up to the porch and recovered the key from under the welcome mat. Silently she slid the key in and turned the knob letting herself in. She knew exactly which stairs creaked and needed to be avoided in order to get to the top undetected.

She entered the first room to her right; a sleeping form lay motionless in the bed. Spencer made quick work of tying him to the bed before he could comprehend what was happening.

Toby was still groggy with sleep but he knew that something was wrong when he was unable to move his limbs. Once he saw Spencer the worry seemed to subside a little.

"Spence, what's going on?" Toby asked in a sleepy tone.

"Just having some fun," Spencer replied with a devious smile.

"It's kind of late babe, can't we do this some other time," Toby sighed.

"No, since you won't be available any other time," Spencer said cruelly. Both her tone and words seemed to wake Toby out of his daze.

"Wait, what? Is this some kind of weird role playing," he asked genuinely perplexed.

"No, this is what happens when you lie to me. You work with A and try to destroy my life. Looks like it didn’t work out that well for you, doesn't it?" Spencer asked coldly before removing the gun from her hoodie pocket.

"You can't do this, I love you!" Toby pleaded, trying to pull out from the restraints.

"The feeling is not mutual, and you can consider this our break up," Spencer said raising the gun to his head.

The last thing Toby saw was Spencer's wild grin and the barrel of a gun before everything went black.

* * *


	5. The outcome

Spencer stretched herself out on the bed alongside Mona. She had snuck in to the building, yet another skill acquired from her time spying on unsuspecting victims. The visitor restriction was one of the few requirements of Mona’s home rehabilitation that was non-negotiable.

They both lay in silence, each lost to their own thoughts. Mona was content at the taller girls side, cuddling up to her while playing with the brown strands of hair closest to her.

"So, I'm officially single," Spencer said, breaking the comfortable silence as she turned to face Mona in an attempt to gauge her reaction.

"You broke up with Toby?" Mona asked sweetly, her smile both unnerving and unwavering.

Spencer resisted the urge to kiss the smaller girl; instead focusing on the question.

"Well not exactly, it's a little more permanent than that," Spencer answered, purposely avoiding the smaller girls eyes.

"And by more permanent you mean…..," Mona started, her sentence quickly trailing off when realization set in

"You actually killed him?" she asked, her face the picture of surprise.

"I assumed that you knew this would happen," Spencer frowned, worried that this may be too much for Mona to handle.

"Yeah, but it's so soon you know," Mona replied gently, attempting to placate the other girl.

"But you're not freaked right?" Spencer hastily asked.

"No, it's pretty hot actually," Mona grinned with her slightly broken grin, similar to the one she wore when she first revealed herself to be A.

"Glad to hear it," Spencer said with relief before giving in to her desire to kiss the darker girl. The kiss escalated quickly and soon they were tightly wrapped up in one another.

The ring of a phone snapped them both out of the loving bubble they had created; Spencer looked around in annoyance, spotting the cause of the disruption on Mona's cabinet,she could make out her phone glowing brightly with each ring.

Spencer sighed and pried herself away from Mona before making her way over to her phone. She looked at the screen upon which a picture of Aria was displayed. She pressed the green button with a sigh.

"Very nice work with Toby," Aria said in place of a greeting.

"Thanks, but I was kind of in the middle of something," Spencer impatiently answered into the phone.

"Oh please, Mona will still be there after this call. I just need to know something real quick," Aria replied with a teasing tone.

"Fine, what is it?" Spencer asked in a rushed tone in hopes that Aria would get the hint, she didn't.

"Who's your scapegoat for Toby's murder?" Aria’s voice becoming serious, the playful tone no longer present.

"Well it happens to be the perfect person actually. Someone who is very angry, very jealous and who's DNA just happened to somehow find its way onto the murder scene," Spencer smugly retorted.

"You could just have said Paige you know," Aria deadpanned.

"Really! Did you really have to go ruin my big reveal like that?" Spencer asked in an annoyed tone.

"It was beyond obvious," Aria huffed.

"Firstly, no it wasn't, you're A so it's not fair. And secondly, you could have at least pretended not to have known," Spencer explained, motioning with her hands despite Aria not being able to see her.

"Fine. Oh my god, Spencer you are so smart! I would never have thought of framing Paige for something so heinous in all my time as A! Better?" Aria sarcastically bit back.

"Please, do enlighten me then on who you would have chosen," Spencer asked, agitated that Aria had pointed out so many holes in her perfect plan.

"Jenna. Bitch ain’t blind anymore and she's real close with Toby," Aria offered.

"No way, that is such a cliche," Spencer said watching as a bored Mona twirled her hair. This phone call was becoming way to long for Spencer's liking.

"Can we finish this some other time," Spencer interjected before Aria could reply.

"Fine, just remember that you are now in debt to A," Aria cryptically said before hanging up the phone with a click.

Spencer threw the phone down and resumed her previous position with Mona, not even giving a second thought to what Aria had alluded to.

* * *

Spencer knew that Aria now had even more control over her than before. If Spencer couldn't find a way out of this for both herself and Mona they would both be screwed in the long run.

Spencer Hastings wasn't outsmarted by anyone especially not Aria, the girl was good but she was far from the best. She lost her team, Toby was dead and Mona would follow Spencer in whatever decisions she made.

Killing Toby had no effect on Spencer and she had once cared greatly for him. She could easily repeat that action and replace Toby with someone else she once cared greatly for, specifically Aria.

Spencer wasn't sure on her plan of action yet, so as a safety precaution Paige would have to stay out of Toby's investigation for the time being.

That night Spencer slipped past the dozing police officer who was stationed by the house during the investigation and gathered all the planted evidence into a black gym bag before escaping undetected. Paige would be safe, for the time being at least.

As for Aria, one way or another she would not be sitting on her thrown for much longer. The queen was to be overthrown, and Spencer couldn't wait.

* * *


	6. The end

"Plan, plan, I just need a good plan," Spencer muttered quietly to herself.

She had been sitting in front of her laptop for what seemed like hours and there were still too many flaws in her plan that needed to be rectified before she could take any action. True, in the last couple of month's she had changed quite a lot but that did not mean she had become reckless or stupid.

Paige had fortunately avoided getting into any trouble for the crime she was framed for, at least for the moment.

Then it suddenly struck Spencer, what if the correct plan of action was a little closer to home than she first anticipated it to be.

What if instead of her flipping sides it was actually Aria, what if Aria was secretly with Toby and had switched sides to be with him and when he wouldn't leave Spencer for her she had shot him. That meant that Spencer could kill Aria and say it was in self-defense, but she didn't need that on her pristine record. No, that wouldn't work at all.

It would be a shame to leave Paige out of her plan completely; Spencer just really disliked the girl. Something about her made Spencer's skin crawl. Paige would be a brilliant scapegoat but the only thing missing was motive. Why would Paige kill Aria? Maybe, just maybe she felt a little too protective over Emily and found out that Aria was on the A team, confronted her and accidentally killed her.

"Ah, screw it. That's a good enough plan," Spencer said to herself, she was getting tired of all this waiting and planning.

There were just a few things to take care of before the real fun could start.

Spencer picked up her phone and dialed a number she knew by heart, it rang for a while before being answered.

"Hey Spence," she heard Mona's on the other end of the line.

"Hey, I just need to ask you a question," Spencer quickly replied.

"Sure go ahead," Mona answered sweetly.

"Well, I know after junior high you kind of decided to relax on the school work front but what exactly do your grades look like? Can you graduate early?"

"Well yeah I dumbed down in class but that doesn't change my scores, I got early acceptance to quite a few universities not to mention that yes I can graduate early. Why?"

"In the next couple of days things are probably going to get really heavy, so if we can get out of here then the sooner the better," Spencer said, not even attempting to hide the truth from Mona.

"You want us to leave together?" Mona asked surprise evident in her voice.

"Well yeah, I just assumed you would want to but if you don't I completely understand," Spencer said, trying not to sound as vulnerable as she felt.

Spencer wasn't sure how it had happened so fast but Mona was the only thing keeping her sane and happy, she had never felt so fulfilled not even with Toby. And she refused to lose Mona so soon after finding her.

"Of course, I just didn't think that you wanted this as much as I did," Mona answered after a brief pause.

"Now you know that I do, I'm doing all of this for you as much as I am doing it for myself," Spencer sharply replied.

"You know that's not what I meant," Mona said indignantly.

"I know. I have some things to take care of tonight but can I come around yours when I'm done?" Spencer asked, her tone quickly reverting back to its former calm cadence.

"Yeah, that would be nice," Mona smiled.

"Okay, I'll see you soon then," Spencer said into the receiver before ending the call.

She was telling the truth, she was doing this for them and their future. Even though they are part of the A team it doesn't mean that Aria has cut them any slack. Aria had told Spencer numerous times in the last three days that she expected something in return for the opportunity of revenge against Toby.

Spencer had one chance to end this for them and she was going to take it.

* * *

The plan was pretty half assed by her standards but she had no problem with following through on it. Spencer had been outside Ezra's apartment building for about two hours just waiting for an opportunity to get to Aria.

The small brunette girl finally left the building; making her way down the street. Before Aria could cross Spencer intercepted her.

"God Spence, you're getting really good at being creepy," Aria said jumping lightly when the other girl grabbed hold of her shoulder.

"Yeah sorry, can we go somewhere to talk. In private," Spencer asked in her sweetest tone.

"Yeah there's a place," Aria said motioning for Spencer to follow her.

The place was actually another dilapidated motel, 'what a shock' Spencer thought to herself. Just like the last one it was set up as some kind of creepy shrine, only this time both Spencer and Aria's dolls were sitting in a different doll house than that of Hanna and Emily.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Aria turned, her face instantly becoming hard something which Spencer related with A.

"Not so much talk, more taking care of some lose ends," Spencer said, voice lowering slightly.

"Well there are no lose ends, we took care of them all," Aria turned to face the wall of all A's threats.

"Not quite," Spencer said silently slipping the rope that was concealed in her bag around Aria's neck and pulling at it tightly before the girl had an opportunity to react.

Aria thrashed around before finally becoming still and dropping to the floor. Spencer then tied the rope around the girl's neck with a knot and threw the rope over the beam that went across the ceiling. Spencer hoisted Aria up and tied the rope when the girl was high enough; it took a while despite the girl's small stature.

Lastly she tipped a chair over close by and left a note next to the hanging girl.

_This was the only way out of all my guilt, I am sorry for all the pain I have caused. I have tortured and blackmailed my friends, torn lives apart and I had to finally end it. I killed Toby my first accomplice and Paige my second deserves a better chance than that._

_I'm sorry_

_Aria_

* * *

The motel owner found Aria later on the next day. Both her family and friends were shocked by the revelation that Aria was A. Emily and Hanna tried to find a way around the evidence but there was just too much. Spencer being the dutiful friend helped them in their plight, knowing there was no way they would ever link it back to her.

Hanna was distraught about Aria and Emily was even worse of f when later that day Paige was incriminated in A's crimes, nothing major but Emily still thought that the girl was responsible for the suffering she had gone through the last few months.

A month later, Spencer and Mona left after an early graduation to attend UPENN. Nobody knew that they had left together, and they both knew that for the time being that would be for the best.

"God, these classes are so tough," Mona said sitting on her and Spencer's shared bed. Their cosy apartment was located just off of campus.

"Tell me about it," Spencer replied from her position at the desk.

"Yeah and this girl in my class is a total bitch, she actually threatened me with academic death," Mona motioned in her overly dramatic way.

Spencer glanced up at the smaller girl and a small evil grin spread across her face.

"We can always bring A back," Spencer said, smirk still in place.

"I love your protective nature but that's just a little excessive Spence," Mona said getting up and moving towards her girlfriend.

"Just a suggestion," Spencer replied in a mock defensive nature.

"Thanks anyway, that's sweet of you," Mona said, kissing Spencer sweetly before wrapping her arms around the other girl.

Sure A was gone for now but how much longer could that last, Spencer suspected between her and Mona that it would not be much longer at all.

* * *


End file.
